End of an era in Durham riding

With incumbent MPP John O’Toole off the ballot, voters will see first new representative in almost 20 years

Election signs in Scugog

Celia Klemenz / Metroland

PORT PERRY -- Elections signs were everywhere in Durham riding as voters prepared to cast their ballot in the provincial election on June 12. June 7, 2014

Liberal Granville Anderson wins Durham Riding

Celia Klemenz / Metroland

BOWMANVILLE -- Durham Riding winner and Liberal candidate Granville Anderson arrived at his headquarters to a round of applause from party supporters including Sarah Whalen, left, and Victoria Ryszkowski. June 12, 2014

Liberal Granville Anderson wins Durham Riding

Celia Klemenz / Metroland

BOWMANVILLE -- Durham Riding Liberal candidate Granville Anderson, centre, was joined by party faithful Alnoor Alibhai, Ian McMillan, Adam Jeronimo and Lorraine Green as they checked the voting numbers as the race tightened between the Liberal and Ontario PC. June 12, 2014

Liberal Granville Anderson wins Durham Riding

Celia Klemenz / Metroland

BOWMANVILLE -- Durham Riding winner and Liberal candidate Granville Anderson arrived at his headquarters to a round of applause and hugs from party supporters including Betty Somerville. June 12, 2014

Liberal Granville Anderson wins Durham Riding

Celia Klemenz / Metroland

BOWMANVILLE -- Durham Riding winner Liberal candidate Granville Anderson, right, and his campaign manager Justin MacLean headed out from Mr. Anderson's Liberal headquarters to join in the victory party held at Rose's Bistro. June 12, 2014

Liberal Granville Anderson wins Durham Riding

Celia Klemenz / Metroland

BOWMANVILLE -- It was a sombre mood at the Mike Patrick Ontario PC Durham Riding campaign headquarters. Debbie, Mike Patrick and their daughter Meghan Patrick gathered to watch as Tim Hudak gave his speech after resigning as leader of the Ontario PC party. June 12, 2014

Election signs in Scugog

Celia Klemenz / Metroland

PORT PERRY -- Elections signs were everywhere in Durham riding as voters prepared to cast their ballot in the provincial election on June 12. June 7, 2014

Mike Patrick's Office

Celia Klemenz / Metroland

CLARINGTON -- A view through the window at Mike Patrick's campaign HQ. June 12, 2014

Mike Patrick's Office

Celia Klemenz / Metroland

CLARINGTON -- A view through the window at Mike Patrick's campaign HQ. June 12, 2014

Mike Patrick's Office

Celia Klemenz / Metroland

CLARINGTON -- A view through the window at Mike Patrick's campaign HQ. June 12, 2014

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A familiar name will be missing on the June 12 provincial election ballot now that long-time Durham MPP John O’Toole isn’t seeking re-election.

Mr. O’Toole first took his seat at Queen’s Park in 1995, as the Durham East MPP as it was known then, when Ontarians painted the province blue as former premier Mike Harris was swept into power with his ‘Common Sense Revolution’ platform.

Since then, Mr. O’Toole has been re-elected four more times, representing the Progressive Conservative party.

On Thursday, however, voters in Durham riding -- made up mainly of large swaths of Clarington, Scugog and Uxbridge -- will have to put their trust in a new politician.

The riding known as Durham has been a Tory stronghold dating back to 1977 -- with the exception of a six-year blip when it was represented by the NDP’s Gord Mills, from 1990 to 1995 -- and new Conservative candidate Mike Patrick hopes to keep that streak intact.

Mr. Patrick is a 30-year resident of Bowmanville where he and his wife of 33 years, Debbie, raised their two children, Meghan and Caitlin. The Patricks have owned and operated the Bowmanville Foundry since 1988 and the Conservative candidate is a professional engineer and holds a masters degree in business administration.

Liberal supporters will also have to cast their ballot for a new candidate. After twice coming up far short of unseating Mr. O’Toole, in both the 2007 and 2011 elections, Betty Somerville will not return as the Grit candidate in 2014.

Instead, Granville Anderson will carry the Liberal banner in the June 12 election. He has two children and has called Clarington home for more than 25 years. Mr. Anderson is the owner and principle mediator of Anderson Mediation and Conflict Management and has served as a school board trustee since 2003.

The NDP party will also have a new candidate: Derek Spence, a life-long Durham resident who has experience as a political lobbyist. He lives in Newtonville with his partner Dayna and daughter Taylor.

Halyna Zalucky will represent the Green Party. Currently, she is the executive director of Big on Green Worker Co-operative Inc.

(1) Comment

By durhamgal|JUNE 12, 2014 05:31 AM

We need new representation that will work for the people of Durham, no matter who the government is in Ontario and that has not been the case for the past ten years. Mt O'Toole has failed to support the government's initatives that would benefit Clarington. Why you ask. If good things happen in Clarington, Mr O'Toole would have no one to bash, and that has been his course of action The other issue that affects us all is no elected representative is fighting the federal government on cuts to our health care, in our riding alone it has cost our riding 600,000.00. Who stood up for us. Now we have Mr. O'Tool'e friend running, is he going to stand up for the people of Clarington,or is he going to stand up for Mr Harper.